Seating and Classroom Layout
How we arrange our classrooms and for what purpose is essential in creating a classroom that meets the learning outcomes favoured.
Seating that Fits Learning Objectives
Visualizing 21st Century Classroom Design (Wade, 2016).
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Flexible Classrooms: Providing the Learning Environment Kids Need (Edutopia, 2015)
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Flexible spaces provide students with the opportunities to define what works best for them while adhering to learning objectives. “Movement is key to active learning. When students can move about easily, they are more interactive, collaborative, comfortable and engaged in class” (Active Learning Spaces, 2017, p. 16).
Flexible Seating options for primary classrooms (Flexible Seating, 2017).
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Cloud 9 Desks – New Product Spotlight (Allen, 2015)
This picture depicts a classroom set-up that promotes collaboration. According to Wannarka & Ruhl (2008), “When the desired behaviour is interactive, however, like brainstorming (Rosenfeld, Lambert and Black, 1985) or questioning the teacher (Marx, Furher and Hartig, 2000), seating arrangements that facilitate interactions by proximity and position, such as clustered desks or semi-circles, should be utilized” (p. 91).
These allow students to have a variety of seating options while addressing differentiated learning styles and needs of individual students. |